


Princess with a Thousand Enemies

by Darkstarling



Category: Overwatch (Video Game), Watership Down - Richard Adams
Genre: Hana Has More Layers Than An Onion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 20:11:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20315338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkstarling/pseuds/Darkstarling
Summary: Hana Song is on a drop ship, waiting to jump in and save Ulsan from a Gwishin attack.Hana hates waiting. Too much time to think.





	Princess with a Thousand Enemies

When I was thirteen, my parents gave me a translated English language book. Watership Down. It’s an epic story of heroism, courage, trickery overcoming strength, and never ever giving up. It’s also about rabbits. But it stuck with me. They're always alert, because everything is trying to kill them. The Lord of Rabbits is even called El-Ahrairah, the Prince with a Thousand Enemies. When a rabbit dies, and they do, they say they've stopped running.

I’ve got good reflexes. Everyone knows that. Back in my pro days it got to the point that they checked me for neurolinks before every match. Kyung’s still salty. So of course I made a spectacle of it. Clunky analog controls, bringing out a fresh console each time, the works. All part of the show, right? Though I did have to kick a promoter to the curb when he tried to get me to play a match naked to make a point. 

Dirty old goat.

But there aren’t many people who know just how fast I really am. 9,426 APM on my best day, when they haven’t found anyone who beats 3000 even with a link. Even omnics don’t go that high. I spent more time before my first combat mission in an MRI machine than my mech, and my lawyer had a field day keeping the military from getting the rights to clone me. I’m pretty sure someone out there is trying anyway.

But I move fast, I think fast. Reflex games are turn based strategy for me, and I love strategy. When I really get in the zone, the world slows to a crawl.

“Pohang port five minutes out. Prep for drop,” Captain Myung’s voice rang out across the drop ship’s hold, and I shifted in the control yoke.

“Roger,” I said, and my teammate's voices rang out beside me.

All of which makes the time before a mission hell.

Too much time. I’ve been ready for hours. The Gwishin attacked a port this time. They used stealthed submarines to bypass the missile defenses, mines and sonar before falling on the city center. Satellites showed a new model before they threw up the bombardment screen, multimorphic bots with heavy shielding. We're still looking for the Behemoth, but wherever it is it's hiding itself well.

Too much time to worry about what monster we’re facing this time. 

Too much time to calculate casualty figures.

I ran another diagnostic on the articulation and repulsers and jets. All out of habit, I’d already run the same tests a dozen times. And besides, my little Tokki was ready. I'd done the maintenance myself. No one else gets it just right.

Warning lights flashed and the alarm blared hanger door slid open. The wind should have been deafening, but I already had my headphones on. Time to go. I checked my hair quickly, checked the connection, and started the stream.

All part of the show right?

“Hiya! We’re here over Busan and ready to scrap some mechs! And brrr is it cold up here!”

I gave a theatrical shudder before activating the environmental seals with a hiss. 

“Mei, if you’re watching I don’t know how you handle it! Me, I need a good sealed cockpit to keep out the weather.”

And the potential nerve gas. The Gwishin haven’t tried it yet, but everyone agrees it’s just a matter of time.

I hope Mei does watch. Not live of course, not in Mongolia, but soon. I know she worries.

“Today we’re heading for the city center, and it looks like we’ve got something new today. Love you devs! Lets see if you’ve got anything better for me this time. And it looks like everyone’s well clear of the blast zone, so we’ll be able to really cut loose. As always, a reminder from the Ministry of Defense to practice your evacuation drills and memorize the route to the nearest shelters. Be Prepared! But enough about that. I’ve got a new upgrade to my rocket systems that I’m just dying to try out.”

The comment section, as always, had already erupted in flames arguing my ratio of sociopathy, narcissism, and blithe naivety. Today ‘Yes, but she’s OUR sociopath’ seemed to be holding out well. I also noticed new faction which seemed to favor ‘She literally thinks the world is a video game.’ 

That sounded kind of fun actually, I should play that up sometime. 

Green lights flashed. I released the locks, and felt the rolling motion as Tokki’s legs took the weight. Control motion was smooth.

In that story I mentioned? Frith, the Sun, blesses El-Ahrairah when he sees that he won’t give up even in the face of his certain doom. And he says to him: ‘All the world will be against you, Prince With A Thousand Enemies, and if they catch you they will kill you. But first they must catch you.’ 

“Dva Online, ready for combat. Try and keep up with me!”

I hit the jets and roared from the hanger bay.


End file.
